Also known as a patched tabby, a torbie is a coat pattern made up of patches of red and brown tabby markings. The name is a combination of the terms tortoiseshell and tabby.
This unusual coat pattern is found almost exclusively in female cats which makes it sex-linked. Every kitten inherits one copy of each gene from both parents. The dominant orange gene is located on the X chromosome, females (XX) have two X chromosomes and males (XY) only have one.
What is a slonk cat? A slonk cat is a long and slender cat and is essentially the opposite of the more widely used chonk, or overweight cat. As with most of these popular terms, it is hard to pinpoint the origins but the term is presumably a combination of slim or slender + long. … Read more
Also known as a muted calico, a dilute calico cat is a domestic cat with a tri-colour coat comprised of grey (blue) and cream along with areas of white.
The muted grey and cream is caused by a single base deletion 1 bp in the melanophilin (MLPH) gene. This gene provides instructions for making melanophilin, a carrier protein found in pigment-producing melanocytes. Melanophilin is essential for the even distribution, transport, and translocation of melanin (pigment granules). Menalocytes are specialised cells that contain organelles known as melanosomes. Melanosomes synthesise, store and transport melanin out of the cell via the dendrites to neighbouring keratinocytes (keratin producing cells).
What is a caliby cat? A caliby cat is the coat coloration of a cat and is not a stand-alone breed.  Caliby cats have the coloration of a calico mixed with a tabby—typically areas of orange (red) and brown tabby with white. The name is a mix of calico + tabby = caliby. Most cat lovers are familiar … Read more
Also known as the Jacobson’s organ, the vomeronasal organ (VNO) is a chemosensory tubular organ located between the hard palate of the mouth and the soft tissue of the nasal septum.
The vomeronasal organ is an accessory olfactory system, best described as a taste-smell organ. It is used to identify non-volatile chemicals known as pheromones primarily from other cats but also from prey and predators. Pheromones in glandular secretions and urine advertise important information such as territorial boundaries, dominance and reproductive status. Scent glands on the head and face of cats produce feline facial pheromones which induce a sense of calm. Urine spraying marks a cat’s territory and is most common in entire male cats.
Scent glands are specialised glands that produce semi-viscous secretions which contain odour messengers known as pheromones that impact the behaviour of cats around them. Most cat lovers have observed their cat rubbing against objects in the home and even against people. Rubbing deposits a chemical scent (pheromone) which relays a number of messages. Scent marking also enables the cat to convey a message even when he or she is no longer around.
The scent glands are modified apocrine glands which develop in association with hair follicles. These glands open near the surface of the skin into the infundibulum of the associated hair follicle.
The dewclaw is a rudimentary claw attached to a short digit located on the inside of the cat’s front leg at the wrist. Unlike the other four claws, the dewclaw is non-weight-bearing and doesn’t make contact with the ground.
Peets is an affectionate term used to describe animal feet. The word is a combination of the words ‘paw’ and ‘feet’. As with many of these endearing terms, the origins are not always known.
The sense of smell (olfaction) is one of the most important cat senses, providing information on pheromones (females in heat, territorial marking), dangers (predators, fire, spoiled food), taste and appetite. While dogs get all the credit for their sense of smell, but cats deserve recognition too.
A blep is a popular internet term to describe a cat (or dog) who has unintentionally left a portion of its tongue hanging out of its closed mouth. The term originated from a subreddit thread showing cats blepping in 2014 and remains popular to this day.
Most cat lovers find the blep absolutely irresistible and either reach for the camera or have to boop, by touching the blep with their finger.